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Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!


@tucsongal wrote:

@just bee   I recently happened across last month’s thread and was going to respond there, but just saw this one. I wanted to wish you well as you come through this challenge (with humor and courage I might add). 

 

I also wanted to respond to someone that was wondering what to do with some of their jewelry. I went through this recently, always thinking I would try to sell it, etc. Instead I sent a package off to Dress for Success in Phoenix and am so glad I did. It makes me happy to think about other women wearing it as they try to improve their lives. 


@tucsongal 

 

Oh, that's the next big project.  Ironically, I haven't worn a single piece all month.  But there are two armoires in storage along with a big chest.  All damaged by soot.

 

Once we get into a rental I'm going to have to pull out the contents and start cleaning and sorting. 

 

That should only take twenty years.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
New Contributor
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎06-01-2019

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!

Hi everyone.  New here.  Just Bee- I am so sorry you had this happen.  Fires are so devastating.  I survived the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa.  I mean, our house survived but it has left me a changed person.  For those who don't know, soot from house fires is extremely dangerous.  You need to wear masks and gloves.  The chemical residue left can even give you skin conditions.  Smoke detectors contain radioactive material, flooring can contain asbestos and so on.  Since the fire I have started to declutfer.  I 

New Contributor
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎06-01-2019

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!

Sorry, still figuring this site out.  What I have done since the fire:

  Got rid of 12 purses.  I have four left.  I had my ugly purse with me when I evacuated and thought why didn't I have my purse I love.  

Thought about all the money wasted on stuff I would never use.  My boxes of new makeup and creams and lotions did come in handy when we got home though.  I made up gift bags with Perlier, Laura Geller, Lancome, Salux, Molton Brown, Philosophy and more for three girlfriends.  When I looked at everything  in the bags I thought, wow, this would take me forever to use up (Laura Geller kits) and this is really a lot of money.  My girlfriends were so happy because they had absolutely nothing left.  One friend escaped in her pajamas.

 

Starting to go through every drawer.  Consolidating all sentimental items into one location in each room.

Made a list and taped it on the inside of the hall closet of what to take.

Used a new micro card in a camera to take pictures of what is in every drawer and closer, each room, etc.

Make sure insurance is up to date.  We maxed out on our landscaping.  

I went from 180 orders from Amazon (don't judge me) before the fire  for 2017 to a total of 14 last year.  I now refuse to buy anything I don't need.  We had over $1800 worth of food in our fridge and freezer and had to throw it all away.  We were reimbursed but I still think of the waste.

I told my sons no more frivolous gifts for me.  Only things I use.  So Nespresso Coffee and my favorite teas it is.  

I drove through flames, doding fire tornadoes and burning tree limbs.  Didn't realize at the time how close I came to the end.  I heard and saw exploding propane tanks.  The rubble and ruin left by fires is very disheartening.  A neighbor and friend died.  Family is more important.  My kids were heartbroken and wanted to come home when we told them that night about the fire (not knowing our house was okay).  They wanted to come right away.  I then realized that even though they havent lived at home since early 2002 and 2007 it really impacted them.  They had been in touch with their friends and most of their friends had lost their childhood homes.  So basically they have only the memories of their childhood.  Friends houses for Sleepovers, birthday parties, study dates, are only memories.  They can't drive by and say "my friend lived here and we had sleepovers all the time".  It is all gone.  My husband and I have the luxury of driving by old neighborhoods we lived in and pointing out different houses we know, my sons don't. 

 I have solved my shopping addiction with one thing:  Amazon free books.  I download to my heart's content knowing they are all free and there in the Cloud.  I have no physical evidence in my house and I don't have to read them if I don't want to.  I am still getting something, but without spending a penny -- because you never know if you need to make chainmail, drive a tank or read Mayan hieroglyphics (some of my books)

When I fled to the KMart parking lot (we watched it burn to the ground a while later) I met a lady barefoot and in Pajamas.  She had two crying babies on the floor in the backseat of her car.  No time to put them in seatbelts.  She made it out safely.  That made me cry because I thought what if my kids were that little.  What would I do.  She was safe and alive and that was all that mattered to her.  Another lady I met that night said, no kidding,  "well, no more clutter".  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,052
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!


@Brisky wrote:
I'm ready. Lets jump through June!
Does anybody know where I can give approximately ten gallons of old paint too? The previous owners left them in shed out back. My husband and I had it professionally painted from garage, ceilings, doors and walls when we bought it. We went with white for garage and ceilings and trim. The walls are egg shell now. It was dark green when we bought it. What to do with all that gross dark green paint?

 

Do you have a Habitat for Humanity anywhere where you live? We do and I believe they accept construction items, paint, lumber, etc. anything that you could use to build or restore a house. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,052
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!


@dex wrote:

I haven’t been getting rid of stuff because my dh finds it too upsetting.I think I will try a small project like a desk drawers first and see how that goes.We have hoards of notebooks and pens...really not needed but what to do with them.I hate filling the dump so I just hang on .... I might run across someone that needs the stuff.I like to find a new home for my things so they will get some use and not become pollution.


That's too bad that your husband gets too upset to get rid of things. I know it's hard living with someone who has different views from yourself, but it's always a compromise. I certainly don't always agree with my hubby, but we have to figure out a way to get along. Sometimes that means compromising on how much stuff we have/keep.

 

Are your notebooks and pens new? I'm sure any local school would gladly take donations of any school related items for the upcoming school year. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,052
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!

@HogginDogs -Welcome to the forum! It is so nice to meet you!

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us. I can't even begin to imagine the horror of being in the middle of any type of natural disaster like that. I'm sure you will be changed forever. 

 

Please continue to post as you continue on your journey. This is absolutely a no judgment thread, we're all working on our own problem areas.

 

If you check out the home forum there is a thread over there Declutter 2019: What have you purged today? You can also post your decluttering journey there, we have a bunch of great ladies all working to keep each other motivated to declutter and clean out the unnecessary and unloved items in our homes. 

 

Again, welcome!

 

 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!


@HogginDogs wrote:

Hi everyone.  New here.  Just Bee- I am so sorry you had this happen.  Fires are so devastating.  I survived the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa.  I mean, our house survived but it has left me a changed person.  For those who don't know, soot from house fires is extremely dangerous.  You need to wear masks and gloves.  The chemical residue left can even give you skin conditions.  Smoke detectors contain radioactive material, flooring can contain asbestos and so on.  Since the fire I have started to declutfer.  I 


@HogginDogs 

 

Welcome!  I figure I've been inhaling so much cr@p this past month that I probably won't see the house rebuilt.  The soot gets into your skin -- I try to wear gloves but the black still gets on my hands.

 

God only knows what we've been exposed to.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!


@HogginDogs wrote:

Sorry, still figuring this site out.  What I have done since the fire:

  Got rid of 12 purses.  I have four left.  I had my ugly purse with me when I evacuated and thought why didn't I have my purse I love.  

Thought about all the money wasted on stuff I would never use.  My boxes of new makeup and creams and lotions did come in handy when we got home though.  I made up gift bags with Perlier, Laura Geller, Lancome, Salux, Molton Brown, Philosophy and more for three girlfriends.  When I looked at everything  in the bags I thought, wow, this would take me forever to use up (Laura Geller kits) and this is really a lot of money.  My girlfriends were so happy because they had absolutely nothing left.  One friend escaped in her pajamas.

 

Starting to go through every drawer.  Consolidating all sentimental items into one location in each room.

Made a list and taped it on the inside of the hall closet of what to take.

Used a new micro card in a camera to take pictures of what is in every drawer and closer, each room, etc.

Make sure insurance is up to date.  We maxed out on our landscaping.  

I went from 180 orders from Amazon (don't judge me) before the fire  for 2017 to a total of 14 last year.  I now refuse to buy anything I don't need.  We had over $1800 worth of food in our fridge and freezer and had to throw it all away.  We were reimbursed but I still think of the waste.

I told my sons no more frivolous gifts for me.  Only things I use.  So Nespresso Coffee and my favorite teas it is.  

I drove through flames, doding fire tornadoes and burning tree limbs.  Didn't realize at the time how close I came to the end.  I heard and saw exploding propane tanks.  The rubble and ruin left by fires is very disheartening.  A neighbor and friend died.  Family is more important.  My kids were heartbroken and wanted to come home when we told them that night about the fire (not knowing our house was okay).  They wanted to come right away.  I then realized that even though they havent lived at home since early 2002 and 2007 it really impacted them.  They had been in touch with their friends and most of their friends had lost their childhood homes.  So basically they have only the memories of their childhood.  Friends houses for Sleepovers, birthday parties, study dates, are only memories.  They can't drive by and say "my friend lived here and we had sleepovers all the time".  It is all gone.  My husband and I have the luxury of driving by old neighborhoods we lived in and pointing out different houses we know, my sons don't. 

 I have solved my shopping addiction with one thing:  Amazon free books.  I download to my heart's content knowing they are all free and there in the Cloud.  I have no physical evidence in my house and I don't have to read them if I don't want to.  I am still getting something, but without spending a penny -- because you never know if you need to make chainmail, drive a tank or read Mayan hieroglyphics (some of my books)

When I fled to the KMart parking lot (we watched it burn to the ground a while later) I met a lady barefoot and in Pajamas.  She had two crying babies on the floor in the backseat of her car.  No time to put them in seatbelts.  She made it out safely.  That made me cry because I thought what if my kids were that little.  What would I do.  She was safe and alive and that was all that mattered to her.  Another lady I met that night said, no kidding,  "well, no more clutter".  


@HogginDogs 

 

I spent 25 years in Northern California and I know Santa Rosa.  My sister's husband's family lost some property and vehicles in the fire.

 

Your story is harrowing.  Something like this does change you.  You can almost feel the change happening in your head.  The insurance people push to have everything restored but once you've seen your home so violated -- smoke and water damage, big gaping holes in the ceilings, insulation everywhere (inhaling that, too) -- you just don't want to bother with it.

 

Sometimes I think it's better to walk away from the whole mess.  I'm still not finished with it.  I have to go back to work this week -- I need a few days away.

 

Do you feel like you just don't want to get attached to anything again?  Like you, I don't want to replace what's been lost.  I just want to start over with less and keep it that way.

 

I understand the woman's clutter comment.  There's no reason to make your home a warehouse for unimportant cr@p.

 

I feel for those in Santa Rosa and Paradise who, as you said, lost their history.  The place they lived, went to school, worked, banked, shopped.  All that wiped away as if it never existed.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!

@HogginDogs 

 

And it sounds like we have something else in common: Tea.  I had to give up my collection of Harney & Sons after the fire and I've been drinking grocery store tea here at the hotel.  Gak.

 

BH always complained about the number of tea mugs I had collected; I left most of them behind.

 

What kind of tea do you like?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Junk It June!


@rnmom wrote:

@HogginDogs -Welcome to the forum! It is so nice to meet you!

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us. I can't even begin to imagine the horror of being in the middle of any type of natural disaster like that. I'm sure you will be changed forever. 

 

Please continue to post as you continue on your journey. This is absolutely a no judgment thread, we're all working on our own problem areas.

 

If you check out the home forum there is a thread over there Declutter 2019: What have you purged today? You can also post your decluttering journey there, we have a bunch of great ladies all working to keep each other motivated to declutter and clean out the unnecessary and unloved items in our homes. 

 

Again, welcome!

 

 

 

 


@rnmom 

 

I'll remember 2019 as the year of The Great (Not-so Great?) Purge.

 

Purge is an interesting word, actually.  Some definitions worth examining.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~